His gay spirit found expression also in the clothes he wore. Listen to this description of him: “His fighting jacket shone with dazzling buttons and was covered with gold braid; his hat was looped up with a golden star and decorated with a black ostrich plume; his fine buff gauntlets reached to the elbow; around his waist was tied a splendid yellow sash, and his spurs were pure gold.” These spurs, of which he was immensely proud, were a gift from Baltimore women. His battle-flag was a gorgeous red one, which he insisted upon keeping with him, although it often drew the enemy’s fire.
Stuart was very proud of his men and their pluck. He knew by name every man in the first brigade.
It was his strong desire that he might meet his death while leading a cavalry charge, and he had his wish. For he was struck down near Richmond, in 1864, while he was leading an attack against Sheridan.
He died when he was only thirty-one, deeply mourned by all his men.
GETTYSBURG
But to return to General Lee. After winning the two important battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, he decided that he would again invade the North (1863). He believed that a great victory north of the Potomac River might lead to the capture of Philadelphia and Washington and thus end the war.
Having marched boldly into Pennsylvania, he met the Union army, under General Meade, at the little town of Gettysburg, not far from the southern border of the State. There for three days the most terrible battle of the war, and in its results, one of the greatest battles of all history, took place. After three days of fighting, in which the loss on both sides was fearful, Lee was defeated and forced to retreat to Virginia.
The defeat of Lee’s army at Gettysburg was a crushing blow to the hopes of the South. Lee himself felt this to be true. And, grieving over the heavy loss of his men in the famous Pickett’s Charge, he said to one of his generals: “All this has been my fault. It is I that have lost this fight, and you must help me out of it the best you can.”
But even in the face of this defeat his officers and soldiers still trusted their commander. They said: “Uncle Robert will get us into Washington yet.”
